1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the lavatory art and more particularly to an improved detachably mountable feet support arrangement for use with the lavatory.
2. Background of the Invention
In the conventional lavatories the seat is usually disposed in a substantially horizontal plane. A person of normal height, sitting upon the lavatory rests his feet upon the ground and generally, during defecation, angles the body forwardly. However, the bodily position generally considered most advantageous during defecation is one in which the upper legs, that is the thighs, make a very acute angle with the torso. Such a position is generally uncomfortable and/or cannot be achieved in the conventional lavatory when the user's feet are resting upon the ground.
Additionally, it has been found that small children whose little legs are not long enough to reach to the ground, often have a sense of insecurity when sitting upon the lavatory and consequently a solid support for the feet of such small children can provide a much higher sense of security.
Since defecation is not the only function performed by people sitting upon the lavatory it is also desirable that such a foot rest arrangement be detachably mountable upon the lavatory. Additionally, such a detachably mountable feet support can be fabricated comparatively inexpensively and also maintained in a hygenic condition quite easily. Thus, such a feet support arrangement should preferably be fabricated of comparatively inexpensive materials, be detachably mountable upon the lavatory so that it may be utilized only when desired and, further, be comparatively easy to clean.
Further, it is also desired that the feet support arrangement provide a splash guard to prevent the passage of liquid in the region between the seat and the rim of the lavatory. This is particularly useful when small children are utilizing the device. Since most lavatories are provided with seats that are pivotally mounted with respect to the rim of the bowl of the lavatory in the seating or down position of the seat there are provided bumpers on the undersurface of the seat to engage the upper surface of the rim of the bowl and space the seat a preselected distance from the rim. The preferred feet support arrangement, therefore, has a sealing means such that the thickness of the feet support arrangement is approximately equal to the thickness of the bumpers on the lower surface of the seat and the sealing means engages the lower surface of the seat and thus prevents the passage of liquids out of the bowl in the space between the lower surface of the seat and the upper surface of the rim in front portions thereof.
Additionally, it is preferred that the feet support means of the feet support arrngement be spaced outwardly from the bowl of the lavatory in order that the height of the users knees may be raised relative to the buttocks to provide a more comfortable and medically approved position.
Prior art feet support arrangements have generally not provided the above desired objectives. For example, in British Pat. No. 292,737 there is shown a ladder type arrangement which does not directly couple to the bowl of the lavatory and does not provide any type of splash guard.
British Pat. No. 437,982 shows a type of feet support arrangement that may be coupled to the underside of the seat of the lavatory or, alternatively, to the front portion of the rim of the bowl of the lavatory but does not provide the desired splash guard, or other objectives above set forth.